The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Rhododendron plant of hybrid origin, botanically known as Rhododendron hybrida ‘AZ 16’ and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘AZ 16’. ‘AZ 16’ is a new cultivar of evergreen Azalea grown for use as a landscape plant.
The new cultivar was developed through an on-going breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Poplarville, Miss., USA. The objectives of the breeding program are to develop new cultivars of Azalea that exhibit tolerance to environmental stresses and disease resistance combined with unique flower colors and extended bloom periods.
The new cultivar arose from a cross made in spring of 2005 in Poplarville, Miss. between ‘Red Slippers’ (not patented) as the female parent and ‘Fourth of July’ (not patented) as the male parent. The Inventors selected ‘AZ 16’ as a single unique plant amongst the seedlings that resulted from the above cross in fall of 2007.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by softwood stem cuttings in Poplarville, Miss. in spring of 2008 by one of the Inventors. Asexual propagation by softwood and semi-hardwood stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.